Overview & Reviews

Toyota is a Japanese brand whose refined, well-designed vehicles have earned it a great deal of popularity. Toyotas also have a superb record for reliability and durability, which goes a long way toward justifying their typically high purchase prices. For buyers who plan on owning their new vehicles for a long time, the Toyota marque is a very compelling choice.

The automaker's name is a variation of the surname of its founder, Kiichiro Toyoda. After years of research, Toyoda unveiled his first prototype, the A1, in 1935, marking the birth of the Toyota Motor Corporation. The '40s witnessed the launch of additional passenger cars and even a pickup. By the end of the decade, the automaker had produced more than 100,000 vehicles.

Toyota grew bigger in the '50s and expanded its roster with a slew of new small cars. The company also unveiled the utilitarian BJ truck; this vehicle was the precursor to the Land Cruiser. By the end of the decade, Toyota had commenced exports to the U.S. with the establishment of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., Inc. The first Toyota to be sold on American shores was the Crown; it held the distinction of being the first Japanese car to be sold Stateside.

The '60s witnessed even more growth for the emerging juggernaut. Toyota introduced the Corolla, an immensely popular model that is still in production today. Vehicles like the home-market Publica, the 2000GT, Hiace and Miniace were also launched. The decade closed with Toyota reporting annual domestic sales of 1 million units; cumulative exports also reached 1 million.

Japanese-market cars like the Carina, Light Ace and Publica Starlet were launched during the 1970s. In the States, the Corolla grew in popularity and the Corona and Mk II models debuted as well. The successful Celica sports coupe was also rolled out and would remain in production for more than 30 years. Toyota's shadow had spread far beyond Japan by this point. The decade's oil crisis had made the manufacturer's compact, fuel-efficient models more popular than ever in the United States. By the time the '70s drew to a close, the automaker had exported more than 10 million vehicles.

Toyota expanded its presence in the U.S. market during the '80s, with the introduction of popular models like the 4Runner SUV and the MR2 sports car. The true high point of these years, though, was the birth of the Toyota Camry sedan. Originally known as the Celica Camry in Japan, the car went on to be a hit of phenomenal proportions, earning kudos as America's best-selling car of the year time and time again.

During the '90s, Toyota rolled out the Avalon full-size sedan and expanded its selection of SUVs with the compact RAV4. By the end of the decade, more than 100 million Toyota vehicles had been produced in Japan. The company also proved itself on the cutting edge of new technology with the rollout of the Prius, the world's first mass-produced hybrid. The car debuted in Japan in 1997; by 2001, the fuel-sipping sedan had made its way to American highways. Despite the presence of a growing number of competitors in its segment, the Prius continues to boast class-leading sales.

Toyota's current lineup is relatively extensive, including minivans, cars, trucks and SUVs. The brand remains extremely popular among savvy consumers who place a high value on quality and dependability.

User Reviews:

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  prius - 2010 Toyota Prius
  By thom - March 29 - 8:26 am

  I have had my Prius II for about two weeks now, came out of a 2005 Lexus ES330. Absolutely love the Prius! Solid build, easy and functional. I have just the Prius II (basic model) but it comes with enough "special" features, only leasing it so didnt want to go crazy with options. Drives very good, not a sports car by any means, but for the average person it drives great. Average MPG on first tank was 44.8 mpg according to trip computer, current one is up to 49.5, so the gas numbers on the window sticker are accurate!

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  Extremely Reliable People Mover - 2000 Toyota Sienna
  By Freeagent35 - March 29 - 6:20 am

  I bought this van in 1999, needing flexibility for hauling bicycles and music/PA equipment. Periodically I keep toying with the idea of buying a new one, but then again it has so few miles (62k) and has been so darn reliable, that I just cant convince myself to spend $30k for a new one. Other than problematic power window switches, the vehicle has been pretty much bulletproof. Engine sludge? Not sure what I think but I have changed the oil personally every 3k (of late so few miles ever 6 months with synthetic) and no evidence of sludge in oil filler area. Still starts without complaint first try and runs like a top after nearly 10 years.

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  260000 and a blown head gasket - 1994 Toyota Camry
  By redneckjdr - March 29 - 5:10 am

  I have a 94 Toyota Camry that I am the 3rd owner of. My mother was the 2nd and bought it used in 1995 with a little over 15,000 miles on it. I think that it is an unbeatable car as far as durability and reliability. The 2.2lt sohc 4 cyl has more than enough power and with the electronically controlled 4 speed auto trans it uses it in all the right rpms depending on how much gas petal is used. I have put this car through its paces for sure with 168,000 miles on it when I got it I definitely put the hardest of the 260,000 miles on it. The only major repair I had to do was replace the cv joints 3 times but that was because of hard driving. I am having the motor rebuilt because of a blown head gasket.

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  Great Reliable Van - 2004 Toyota Sienna
  By scabledog - March 28 - 9:10 pm

  I once said I would never buy anything but a Ford or Chevy, but I am a Toyota believer now. Bought this van new in 2004 and it now has 175,000 miles on it with very little problems to speak of. Just routine maintenance for the most part. The dash did start to crack in the center at 100K and the radiator leaks a bit, but considering the mileage I cannot complain. I think this year I will replace the radiator finally, but still not terrible at 175K. Only other issue I had at about 155K was a front wheel bearing went bad. You know they are bad when you rumble down the road. Still a ton of mileage without major repair costs so really cannot complain!! Would definitely buy another Toyota!

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  As Good as it gets for Comfy and Dependable. - 2006 Toyota Camry
  By Sidney Sands - March 28 - 2:16 pm

  Nice appearance and garage kept !!! Current owner has had it 8 years, and maintenance by Pederson Toyota. Fort Collins, CO

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  2005 Toyota Highlander Fwd 4dr SUV (2.4L - 2005 Toyota Highlander
  By WarrenG - March 28 - 11:30 am

  I bought this new in 2005 and now have 65k trouble-free miles on it. After 3 Explorers, it has been very nice not to have to meet on a regular basis with the service writer for a change. 4-cyl is strong enough and gives 20 mpg around town, 25 hwy. Only problem was with original Toyo tires - at 29k they looked great but couldnt keep the vehicle on the road in FL summer rains. New Michelin LTs solved that problem. Only costs have been oil changes, filter changes, and a new battery. Very satisfied.

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  Love this car - 2007 Toyota Yaris
  By Robert Moore - March 28 - 10:33 am

  The Yaris handles great and has lot of room on the interior. The motor responds perfectly. There is more road noise than what I am used to. I love this car and plan to customize it into a pimped ride.

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  Base Camry Auto 4 Cyl - 2010 Toyota Camry
  By RAP - March 28 - 4:03 am

  Weve had the car since last April and have put about 4000 miles on it. This is our third Camry. Rides beautifully and neither my wife or I have noticed any of the annoying in-town downshifting mentioned by other reviewers. Build quality seems excellent in terms of fit and lack of rattles. Interior trim materials, however, could be somewhat nicer.

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  Car of the year???? - 2007 Toyota Camry
  By bigredjeep - March 28 - 1:26 am

  I am happy with the manual and it goes good off the line. However, how is this the car of the year? The dash slopes away from you so it is hard to use some controls on the radio. The wasted space in the radio den is amazing. The buttons are too spread out and can be hard to reach from either passenger or driver side. The steering wheel controls for the radio are awkward as they sit right next to each other instead of inverted. The radio has a blue backlighting that is very bright and can be distracting during night driving. The door locks are too small and its hard to tell which side locks or unlocks it and at night can be hard to find. Stuff rattles in the console or in the in dash storage.

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  BEWARE Do Not Buy a V8 All Wheel Drive - 2005 Toyota 4Runner
  By Brett - March 27 - 8:40 pm

  I have been repairing cars/trucks my whole life and never owned a worse new vehicle than my V8 AWD--I have 22K miles and since 15K the vehicle has a severe driveline vibration which has become worse--Toyota tells me this is typical for this vehicle and currently there is no repair for the problem. I have been to 2 dealers and now Toyota tech says there is not a fix--the problem is soo bad the vehicle can not been driven. In addition I have had the following problems: OEM brushguard rusted at all welds (garage kept), scratched instrument cluster lens, brake noise (rear), hard shifts in transmission, all 4 Dunlop tires dryrotted between the treads, & the " drive by wire" system has problems.